Tina Fey and Amy Poehler kick off the 70th annual Golden Globes, telecast live on NBC from the Beverly Hilton Hotel's International Ballroom. The comediennes joked about the nature of the event, which honors actors from film and television.

"Only at the Golden Globes do the beautiful people of film rub shoulders with the rat-faced people of television," Poehler joked. The pair also poked fun at the controversy surrounding Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty."

"When it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spent three years married to James Cameron," Poehler cracked.

The hosts poked fun at several attendees, as well as one absent actress.

"Meryl Streep is not here today," Poehler said. "She has the flu, and I hear she's amazing in it."